Issues in accounting for R&D investment - a perspective from the Dissertation

Issues in accounting for R&D investment - a perspective from the pharmaceutical industry - Dissertation Example The companies operating in the pharmaceutical industry spend millions of dollars each year in the research and development expenditure so that they are able to devise new methods and medicine that are able to cure and provide sustenance to the human body from deadly diseases. From the financial perspective, the research and development expenditure forms an integral part of the financial statements of any pharmaceutical company. Over the years, a debate has been going between the financial managers and the economists regarding the fact pertaining to the accounting treatment of the research and development expenditure in the financial statements of the pharmaceutical companies. ... This particular, in addition to providing a brief historical background of the R&D accounting treatments, highlights the following main R&D accounting issues and their most prudent accounting treatment in the financial statements of a pharmaceutical company: Goodwill accounting during merger and acquisition transaction between multinational Exchange of intangible assets with continuing involvement Upfront payments to conduct research with access to the research Payments made to conduct research Upfront payments received to conduct development: Interim recognition Upfront payments received to conduct development: Completion Donation payment for research Loans received to fund research and development purposes Segmental reporting of internal research and development Treatment of development supplies Advertising and promotional expenditure Accounting for the cost of free samples Line extension development costs The paper also presents the linkage between the research and development exp enditure and financial viability. For this purpose the last three financial years of AsteraZeneca is used. Introduction The top of the worldwide pharmaceutical market is the US and it is expected to hit almost $345 billion in 2014. The second largest market is the Japanese market and then the European market including Germany France, and Chinese market (Market line industry guide, 2012). However, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers (IFPW) shows that growth rates in developed and developing markets based on their capability to recover from the economic crisis is significantly inconsistent. According to the research of Urch Publishing (2012), the global pharmaceutical industry in 2014 is expected to be worth over $1 trillion with a 5% compound annual growth

Establishing Special Courts Catering to Human Trafficking Cases Essay Example for Free

Establishing Special Courts Catering to Human Trafficking Cases Essay Last 2012, Ms. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, an envoy from the United Nations visited the Philippines to observe the situation of human trafficking in the country. Ms. Ezeilo stated that â€Å"the Philippines is undoubtedly a source country for human trafficking, and the problem is not declining. † One of the solutions she proposed to address the problem were special courts catering to human trafficking cases. (Reyes, 2012. ) Human trafficking thrives in poverty lack of education, which are the main catalysts for individuals to be ushered into trafficking. (â€Å"An introduction to Human Trafficking†, 2008. These are some of the problems the government is facing, and the two are very interconnected because they are the cause and effects of each other. Poverty leads to lack of education, and lack of education leads to poverty. The government is doing what they can to help minimize the issue, but they admit that it would take some time. (Sisante, 2008. ) Education is a way to combat trafficking, due to the fact that education leads to decent employment, and a well-informed individual would be more aware of the dangers of being trafficked, thus preventing it to happen in his/her life. However, ideal this may sound, it is not possible to solve poverty and lack of education in a snap. There has to be other solutions to consider that could be done now and would have a great impact. The establishment of special courts tackling specifically human trafficking-oriented cases is a practical solution that would greatly expedite the process of punishing human traffickers and by extension greatly reduce the number of cases of human trafficking in the Philippines, helping alleviate its social, economic, and political consequences. Before special courts as a solution is to be discussed any further, it is important to define what a special court is. Specialized courts are defined by the International Journal for Court Administration as â€Å"tribunals of narrowly focused jurisdiction to which all cases that fall within that jurisdiction are routed. † (Zimmer, 2009) The following paragraphs are going to discuss the counterarguments against special courts, and would be briefly refuted before the three main arguments in favor of special courts are presented. The opposition may claim special courts as an unnecessary expenditure and inaccessible. They claim that it is unnecessary because the creation of new courts is onerous and constitutes unnecessary expenditures, particularly if cases are seasonal, and funds could go to waste if it remains idle. (Zimmer, 2009. ) The creation of a court would automatically imply expenditures. The court has to pay for the administrative costs, the physical court, and other expenses needed to assist the victims, like court psychiatrists. It would also require effort on the judiciary, and the Supreme Court, due to the fact that special courts have to be set-up with care in order for its potential in eliminating cases to be maximized. Zimmer, 2009) However, funding is not a strong argument, because the government has money. It is the proper allocation of the funds, or budgeting that is in question. The government has established special courts for environmental cases in 2008, 117 to be exact. (Salaveirra, 2008) If the government has placed effort enough to set up courts to save the environment, shouldn’t it be a priority to set up courts to fight for human trafficking victims, who have been robbed of their rights? Human rights should always be kept in the priority list of the government. Recently, it has been reported that the government is funding the Department of Health with 500 million pesos for contraceptives for the year 2013. One of their aims was to ‘combat poverty’. (Fernandez, 2012. ) This shows that the government tries to prioritize the poor, however it just shows that they haven’t thought of more practical ways to combat poverty, without being morally questionable, and without robbing humans the right to life. Chief Justice Puno stated that preservation of human rights and the right to life should be considered more than the financial burden a special court entails. Rempillo, 2007. ) This is what the special court for human trafficking should be for, to fight for rights. A $1. 5 million budget or almost ? 65 million is allotted by the national government to support operations against human trafficking, prosecution of offenders, and for the protection of the public. (IACAT, 2012. ) The special courts would allow this budget to be maximized to its full potential in expediting human trafficking cases. Public access could also be limited. Some judges prefer not to be in a special court setting because it limits their trials to criminal cases. Bakker, 1997) Public access may also be limited due to the fact that you cannot establish it everywhere, and the judges are most likely to stay in their respective courts. If public access is considered a problem, then strategically locating these physical courts would be the solution. To place special courts in accessible areas in which the cases are numerous could actually help the victims to easily access justice. Some judges may not want to be in a special court setting because it limits their trials to specific criminal cases. (Bakker, 1997. However, this could turn into an advantage because if they keep seeing the same class of cases over and over again, they could render out decisions faster and more efficiently, due to a better understanding of the cases that they deal with. (Zimmer, 2009. ) There are three solutions to human trafficking: prosecution, prevention, and protection. (EHTN, n. d. ) The establishment of special courts would aid in prosecution, due to the speedy justice it serves, prevention, since it is an effective deterrent for criminals involved, and protection, due to its aims in protecting the victims, and the witnesses during the timeframe of the case. The following paragraphs would elaborate more on why special courts should be established. Firstly, special courts would aid in prosecution and are practical. This is supported by the prevalence of human trafficking, the poor enforcement of justice, specifically in human trafficking cases, the need to distinguish human trafficking as a family of cases that should be differentiated from labor contract violations, the legal precedents such as previous special courts set-up for heinous crimes, and the successful implementation of human trafficking courts in other nations. Human trafficking is a serious issue in the Philippines. As pointed out by the UN envoy Ezeilo, the Philippines is a source country for human trafficking. (Reyes, 2012. ) This is due to the fact that when Filipinos go abroad for work opportunities, they get vulnerable to recruitment by fraudulent recruitment agencies. Internal trafficking is also a serious issue because forced labor, prostitution, child labor, and other forms of trafficking are victimizing people who are moving from rural areas to urban centers. [para, US Department of State, 2011 as cited by (â€Å"Human Trafficking in East Asia Pacific.. , n. d. )] The rise of human trafficking cases in the Philippines, particularly in the Visayas region, is 97% in 2012, in comparison to the cases filed in 2010. There were 436 human trafficking victims in Central Visayas alone. (â€Å"State prosecutors see increase.. †, 2012) Another alarming detail is the prevalence of child labor. There has been an estimation of more than 2. 2 million working children aged 15-17 in the country. (US Department of State, 2011. as cited by (â€Å"Human Trafficking in East Asia Pacific.. †, n. d. It is also believed that 60,000-100,000 Filipino children are involved in prostitution rings. (Challenger, 2010. ) The previous information stated imply that there are thousands of potential cases to be filed, and special courts would help in fast-tracking the cases to avoid backlog, and to insure fair and speedy justice. The government has fallen short in the enforcement of justice in dealing with human trafficking cases. There were 680 pending or ongoing cases, and an additional 129 cases pending at the Department of Justice during the year 2012. â€Å"Trafficking in Persons.. †, 2012. ) This shows a huge amount of backlog and ongoing cases, which shows the prevalence of the cases, and the lack of efficiency on the part of the judiciary when it comes to dealing with human trafficking cases. In the Philippines, it takes three to four years to conclude human trafficking cases, which supports the previous statement about the inefficiency of the judiciary. Human trafficking is a family of cases. It is an organized criminal activity in which human beings are treated as possessions to be controlled and exploited. Forms of human trafficking include sex trafficking, forced labor, child labor, selling of organs, and recruitment of children in military work, are forms of human trafficking. (â€Å"Human Trafficking: Organized Crime.. †, 2012) These crimes (except for the selling of organs) are usually confused with labor contract violations, in which the special court would come in handy. In 2012, there have only been two out of twenty-nine traffickers convicted for labor exploitation, showing that the judiciary is not paying enough attention to it. â€Å"Trafficking in Persons †, 2012. );(Reyes, 2012. ) The special court would help differentiate the two, and allow the human trafficking cases to be dealt with properly. (â€Å"Trafficking in Persons †, 2012) Expertise and uniformity are traits of special courts, and could be put to good use so that there is consistency in applying the law. The expertise of judges in specialized courts are likely to produce better decisions in t he respective cases and are less likely to generate appeals to be taken. (Zimmer, 2009. ) The judiciary has established several special courts for other cases, which gives a legal precedent for human trafficking courts. The Administrative circular no. 104-96 from the Supreme Court discusses the establishment of special courts that cater to heinous crimes for speedy and efficient justice. (â€Å"Administrative Circular No. 104-96†, 1996) This document shows that special courts have been done before, so it implies that it can be done again. Environmental courts, extrajudicial killings, and tax courts are some of the examples of special courts established in the Philippines. Representative Mel Senen Sarmiento of the first district of Samar is pushing for the creation of special courts for human trafficking, saying that â€Å"the Philippines is close to Somalia and Myanmar as regards trafficking, merchandising their people like cattle. If congress can create courts for drug traffickers why not a court for human traffickers too? (Quirante, 2010. ) In other nations such as Dubai and India, special human trafficking courts have been effectively established. Dubai believes that the special human trafficking courts established would speed up cases. Constantine, 2010. ) Meanwhile, the human trafficking court in Mumbai disposed a large backlog of cases in a span of a year, which included 438 cases, and convictions in 81 cases. It also ordered the closure of 11 brothels. (â€Å"US Officials Impressed†, 2011) This proves that it is an effective solution to exercise justice, and to help bring criminals behind bars. A political benefit that the Philippines could gain from establishing special courts is the improvement of the nation’s ranking in the United States’ Trafficking in Persons Report. Currently, the nation is ranked in tier 2, which means that the country is making significant efforts to fight human trafficking, but it does not yet meet minimum standards. Why should the nation take an effort in improving our tier ranking? If the nation falls into tier 3, the US would withhold or withdraw non-humanitarian, non-trade-related foreign assistance as a consequence. (â€Å"Tiers: Placement †, 2011) This is important because not only would the country be able to maintain the implementation of rights, but also maintain good diplomatic relations with the United States. Secondly, special courts would help prevent human trafficking. This is due to the fact that the courts would be an effective deterrent to the criminals involved in the crime. It would lessen the economic advantages and benefits that make the industry appealing to people, and it would help alleviate the economic and political consequences of human trafficking. When the suspects, and people who are interested in getting involved in the industry, see that justice is being enforced, they will eventually act on their fear of being caught and possibly stop in their advances. If not, the possibility of them being caught could possibly increase as society becomes more and more aware of human trafficking, and more confident in filing complaints as they see justice being served. Not only would it put criminals behind bars, but it would also put their name to shame. In the first quarter of 2013, a new law was signed by President Benigno Aquino. Republic Act 10364, the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012, removed the confidentiality provision in the previous law, RA 9208. RA 9208 does not allow the names and circumstances of the victims and the criminal to be made public at any stage of investigation, rescue, prosecution and trial. With the confidentiality clause removed, this allows the public to know the identity of the criminals, so as not to risk being victimized by them. (Punay, 2013. ) With the special court at hand, the criminals would not only be humiliated publicly, but they will be put to justice quickly. Special courts could aid in alleviating the loss of human resources due to trafficking. In human trafficking, the labor force is misused and therefore, is kept from contributing to the nation’s economy that causes the loss of revenue. (â€Å"An introduction to Human Trafficking†, 2008) The labor force should be able to provide for their family and contribute to taxes for the betterment of the nation, but with the potential labor force being exploited in human trafficking, this does not allow them to do so. With putting the criminals behind bars in a more efficient way, it prevents people from being trafficked in the first place. Special courts could also eventually help stop the unlawful distribution of national wealth, and influences markets, political power, and societal relations. (â€Å"An introduction to Human Trafficking†, 2008) Traffickers affect fair competition due to the fact that some companies outsource their productions for a cheaper price, not knowing that trafficked people are used in the factories. Traffickers make 32 billion annually. Not only is it untaxed, but people who actually provided the labor do not gain from this. (â€Å"An Introduction to Human Trafficking†, 2008. ) Special courts would also lessen human trafficking’s political implications due to illegal immigration. Migration policies are tightened because of illegal immigration. Due to these policies, victims are forced to enter other countries illegally, and when they are caught, the may be considered as collaborators which makes the implementation of rights as an issue. (â€Å"An introduction to Human Trafficking†, 2008. ) This could also lead to giving people difficult time in looking for better work opportunities abroad, due to the fact that they could not migrate easily. It benefits people in a way that trafficking could be prevented, but traffickers find other ways to get the victims through the borders. Trafficking victims and smuggled people are different because smuggled people gain their freedom when they reach their destination while trafficked victims are not. (â€Å"An introduction to Human Trafficking†, 2008. ) With the courts established, and the criminals sent behind bars, the opportunity for them to traffic more innocent people in ther nations, where they are subject to human rights violations. It is important to refer to the Mumbai Special court, that was successful in eradicating trafficking in the city to some extent due to the closing of human-trafficking related businesses, and justice being served to the criminals. (â€Å"US Officials Impressed †, 2011) Lastly, special courts would reintegrate the victim to society faster. Human trafficking, as a grave violation to human rights, has a psychological effect on victims. The protection of the victims and the witnesses during the timeframe of the case’s trial is also a vital need required of the law, and without this protection, the timeframe is lengthened. There is also a need to make society realize that the victim was at no fault to push it to accept the victim again. How do these things contribute to faster reintegration of the victim to society? Psychological and medical help is required of the law, and it is the court’s duty to make sure that the victim gets to enjoy these benefits. RA 9208, 2003. ) Most human trafficking victims experience post-traumatic stress, which should be brought into attention so that it could be alleviated, thus helping the victim live a normal life again. (Williamson, Dutch, Clawson, 2012. ) This is due to the victims being drugged or being deprived of their basic needs such as food as â€Å"motivation† to work by their traffickers. (Challenger, 2010. ) It is presumed that the specialized court wou ld assist the victims properly, and according to their needs. (Reyes, 2012. ) Another responsibility of the court is to ensure protection of not only the victim, but also the witness. It is required by the Anti-Trafficking law. (RA 9208, 2003. ) This would insure protection so that both victims and witnesses won’t be afraid to tell the truth. (Reyes, 2012. ) Dubai believes that the special human trafficking court would provide a safe environment for witnesses. (Constantine, 2010. ) Fear suppresses the implementation of justice. Fear of retaliation causes the victims and/or witnessed to withdraw or decline cooperation which leads to a lengthy trial. In 2010, only 3 trafficking cases were assisted by the Department of Justice due to unwillingness of the victims. (US Department of State, 2011. as cited by (â€Å"Human Trafficking in East Asia Pacific.. †, n. d. ) The less time it takes to conclude the case, the easier it is for the victim to cooperate, because in slow trials, there is a fear of the possibility of the accused party could retaliate and scare off the victim and/or witnesses. In Philippine Special Courts, mandatory continuous trial that should be terminated within 60 days and the decision should be rendered within 30. â€Å"Administrative Circular No. 104-96†, 1996) This timeframe is reasonable enough to allow the court to collect evidences and investigate, and for the judge to study the case well in order to render a fair decision. Special courts, when they implement justice, would help society realize that the victim was not at fault. It would help society accept the victim. In most cases, being traff icked affects the social stigma of the victim, who is disapproved for returning without promised wealth. Society has the tendency to blame the victim for disgracing his/herself and his/her family due to the fact that they don’t realize that the trafficker is at fault, and not the victim. (â€Å"An introduction to Human Trafficking†, 2008. ) With the special court, it would be made clear that the victim was, indeed a victim, and did not consent to the injustices that he/she suffered. This would also show that the government is, indeed, taking the issue seriously, and will do what they can to make sure that the offenders pay for their crimes. It would also help society become aware of the seriousness of human trafficking as an issue in the country. The establishment of special courts is a good and practical solution that could be immediately applied by the nation. With the implications that the establishment of the special courts is to be well-studied by the judiciary for good implementation, resulting in good, educated decisions in choosing qualified staff, strategic placement of physical courts, then the special court would be maximized in helping towards the eradication of human trafficking.

Ligeia as a Triumph Over Patriarchy Essay -- Ligeia Essays

Ligeia as a Triumph Over Patriarchy  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   From the time that "Ligeia" was written, critics have searched for meaning within Poe's story of a beautiful woman who died and returned in another's body. While all critics have moved in different directions, many have arguably found an allegorical meaning behind the tale. Because many literary theories depend on each other, contemporary critics tend not to limit themselves to any single theory. Many critics employ multiple theoretical perspectives at once so that a text can be best understood. Many critics have looked to Poe's relationship with women for understanding, combining biographical and feminist theory, while other critics use a variety of approaches, such as formalism and psychoanalysis, to develop their own understanding of what they believe to be an allegory. The collection of literary criticism surrounding "Ligeia" is insightful and comprehensive, and readers have the opportunity to examine interpretations from many different branches of literary theory. B y looking at how critics from five different fields of criticism approach "Ligeia," readers can see how contemporary critics can interpret from a variety of perspectives in order to acquire some deeper understanding of the work.    One of the most widely used applications of literary criticism is formalism or as it is often called, New Criticism. The formalist perspective treats each piece of literature as a self-sufficient work, placing all avenues for understanding in the text itself, ignoring the social and political contexts of the author and publication, the author's biography, and other works by the same author. Formalist critics believe that form and structure are essential to the effectiveness of th... ...Linda J. "'Ligeia': The Facts in the Case." Studies in Weird Fiction. 21 (1997): 10-16. Howard, Brad. "'The Conqueror Worm': Dramatizing Aesthetics in 'Ligeia'." Poe Studies. 21.2 (1988): 36-43. Johanyak, Debra. "Poesian Feminism: Triumph or Tragedy." College Language Association Journal. 39.1 (1995): 62-70. Jones, Daryl E. "Poe's Siren: Character and Meaning in 'Ligeia.'" Studies in Short Fiction. 20.1 (1983): 33-37. Kennedy, J. Gerald. "Poe, 'Ligeia,' and the Problem of Dying Women." New Essays on Poe's Major Tales. Ed. Kenneth Silverman. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1993. 113-129. McEntee, Grace. "Remembering Ligeia." Studies in American Fiction. 20.1 (1992): 75-83. Poe, Edgar Allan. "Ligeia." The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Shorter 4th ed. Ed. Baym, Nina, et al. New York: WW Norton & Company, 1995. 655-664.   

Points of Machiavelli in “The Prince”

Part 15 of Machiavelli's The Prince, entitled Of the Things for WhichMen, and Especially Princes, Are Praised or Blamed, states that, in order for aman to maintain control of a government and better that territory, he mustengage in certain actions that may be deemed immoral by the public he serves. Machiavelli argues a valid point, that the nature of man is twofold,encompassing good and evil, right and wrong. The effectiveness of his argument,however, relies on the fact that the person reading his essay is an objectiveobserver of human nature. Not leaving this to chance, Machiavelli plays apsychological game with the reader in order to convince them of his argument. Machiavelli prefaces his thesis with commentary that attempts to placethe reader in a subordinate state-of-mind. He confesses to the reader that hefears sounding presumptuous for writing about a subject covered many timesbefore by others and differing from their opinion in the matter. This statementplaces the author at the mercy of the reader and prepares them to hear an ideathat may not be popular. Having been asked forgiveness for the pride of theauthor, the reader drops barriers that he may have against arguments driven byego and opens his mind to Machiavelli on a personal, sincere level. By placinghimself at the feet of the reader, Machiavelli puts himself and his argument ina position of power. He wastes no time in using this power to gain more controlover the reader. In the next sentence he states that his intention is to createan outline for behavior in public office † of use to those who understand†. Thisstatement compels the reader to agree with the points that the trustworthy,forthright Machiavelli argues, or be relegated the ranks of those ignorantdullards that do not understand. Machiavelli then presents his thesis, that aruler must use both good and evil in order to maintain his power over the state. The reader has almost no choice but to accept this idea before any proof hasbeen given. With the reader in the palm of his hand, Machiavelli needs only tomake a very general argument of his point to convince the reader of its validity. The author states that there are actions for which a prince is eitherpraised or blamed. He lists many examples of good qualities and their opposingattitudes. Instead of labeling them good and evil, however, Machiavelli titlesthem imaginary and real. By calling the good traits and the leader who possessesthem imaginary, he removes the bite that the mention of evil doing may have onthe reader. Removing this emotional punch makes his thesis, that evil behavioris necessary to properly rule, obvious. Machiavelli applies the rules he sets out for successful management of anation to his own writing. He is cautious not to offend the reader with a statement that is too specific. He manipulates the mind of the reader in orderto quell his emotions and make him more accepting of his opinion. He seems weakwhen he is most powerful and seems powerful when he has no legs to stand on. Heis cautious and polite when his foe's defenses are up and attacks with all ofhis resources at his foe's weaknesses. Machiavelli writes a strongly convincing essay. The proof for his opinion lies not only in the words he speaks but in the flow and believability of the work itself through the utilization of the very techniques he exhorts.

Cultural Considerations Essay

The Mexican culture has been characterized by their values, importance of family heritage, folk healing, religion and spirituality. There is also the relation of demographic features associated with the Mexican such as: low income, lack of education, and ethnic segregation. These characteristics have been known to cause cultural differences that can become barriers that can affect the communication between the patient and the healthcare provider. Mexicans are less likely to use the available health resources, because of their strong cultural differences with American Medicine. They also pose a higher rate of poverty related health issues such as diabetes and obesity (Latino culture and health). When they do use the healthcare system, they fear of experiencing discrimination. Their language and cultural become factors in the treatment they are given. Within the Mexican culture family support is important. They provide each other with a support system consisting of extended family, fol k healers, and religious institutions (Latino culture and health). When they choose to use the American medical services, it is influenced by their cultural and spiritual value and by folk theories of disease, remedies, and curers passed down from their ancestors (Latino culture and health). The specific issues between the Mexicans and the American healthcare include language and immigration (Estrada et al., 2010). Most instructions and messages are communicated by mouth, and many Hispanics feel embarrassed because they could not speak or understand English. The relationship between the physician and the Hispanic patient is problematic because of social differentials by inequality on institutional levels, cognitive, and linguistic Mexican cultural practices can and do influence healthcare use however the relationship is complicated. Curanderismo, folk-healing practices continues to be an important aspect of Mexican American culture because of distrust in medicines that are not natural. (Estrada et al., 2010).This may lead to treatment which may worsen their condition. The Mexican culture has been characteristically known to have cultural differences that can develop barriers which affect the communication process with health care providers; therefore health care professional need to have a complete understanding of the principles of cross-cultural communication within the community that they serve.

The Black and Tan Angel essays

The Black and Tan Angel essays The object of my paper is to examine how players of different races, gender, age, and social statuses have impacted the game of golf in the United States at the PGA and LPGA level, making it what it is today. I chose this topic because so many players like Vijay Singh, Michelle Wie, Se Ri Pak, Annika Sorenstam, and Tiger Woods are making their way in history as phenomenal players in the game of golf. They are changing the game of golf by breaking records and setting new standards everyday. I think this topic is important to look at because golf is a game that has been around and played for many years. For years it was a game that was always viewed as a white mans sport, however over time the game has changed to include different minorities and genders. First, lets take a look at how race has impacted the game of golf. Golf was a game that was once known as one played by rich Caucasians. Most early golfers were comprised of British and American citizens, which were Caucasian. In the 1960s, the great well-known golfers, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus (both Caucasians) were often seen at the top of the scoreboard. In 1961, the PGA finally withdrew its whites only rule, allowing golfers of different minorities to play. Vijay Singh was one of these first well-recognized golfers to enter into the game of golf. Singh earned an exemption on the U.S. PGA Tour in the summer of 1993, and is now a member of both the PGA and European Tours. The PGA Tour and LPGA Tour in the United States are now filled with people who are African American, and Asian from all over the world. Tiger Woods is one of these minority golfers that are very well known due to his great success on the PGA Tour. Tiger is known as a role model to many Afric an American minorities, giving them hope that they too have a chance of becoming a professional athlete. At one time African Americans such as Tiger Woods, were only seen on a g...

The Myth of Multitasking

The Myth of Multitasking The Concept of Multitasking In the contemporary era, agitation, commotion and urgency have characterized the manner in which majority of people carry out their daily engagements. As a matter of fact, Rosen (2008) has embraced the term multitasking to describe humans’ efforts to respond to the numerous challenging demands at the same time (p.105).Advertising We will write a custom article sample on The Myth of Multitasking specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Initially, multitasking was used for a several years to explain the simultaneous processing capabilities of computers. The term (multitasking) was first used by office employees to depict themselves as ultra-modern, high-performing team members. As it stands now, the term is commonly used to depict human efforts to accomplish numerous tasks at the same time using up-to-date technology (Rosen, 2008, p.105; Ruff, 2002, p.10). The Negative Impact of Multitasking Rosen (2008) discu sses the negative impacts of multitasking (p.106). She presents findings of some studies that show risks associated with driving while using electronic gadgets. In the business area, concerns have emerged about the prevalence of workplace distractions due to multitasking. According to one study reported by BBC in 2005, employees distracted by phone calls and e-mail alerts experienced remarkable decline in their IQ indices. In nutshell, multitasking reduces productivity of employees. It has also been estimated that the US economy loses over $600 billion yearly due to multitasking (Rosen, 2008, p.106). Multitasking also compromises the ability of children to learn in a normal way. Learning the art of paying attention to key issues/or objects is one strategy to deal with multitasking (Rosen, 2008, p.109). Multitasking Culture and Workplace Distraction A number of studies have been carried out to assess the negative impact of multitasking (i.e. information overload) in business environm ent. It is worthy to note that employee productivity is directly related to the number of tasks performed simultaneously. As the number of tasks (i.e. information processing) rises, the decision-making ability of an employee decreases. This may result in confusion and workplace distractions as the ability of an employee to set priorities is severely compromised (Ruff, 2002, p.1). Therefore, the assertion by Rosen (2008) that multitasking culture has led to workplace distractions and declining productivity is valid (p.106). Multitasking also hampers learning and problem solving skills of employees. For example, employees at Bernholz in Canada were required to enhance their decision-making rate by 1900% following the introduction of computers. As a result, the ability of employees to solve new problems imaginatively declined by 29% in the first hour, 78% in the second hour and kept on decreasing subsequently (Ruff, 2002, p.4).Advertising Looking for article on business econom ics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There is no doubt that multitasking also augments the stress level of employees at workplace. Stress has a negative impact on the health of employees and can cause heart ailment. Ruff (2002) cites the findings of one study which showed that over 24% of employees experience elevated stress as a result of the number of different tasks they are required to handle at their workplaces (p.4). In the same study, 36% of managers cited information overload at workplace as the main cause of poor health. What’s more, 67% of those managers reported that multitasking had a negative impact on their productivity (Ruff, 2002, p.4). In a similar research carried out in Singapore with 1,313 junior, middle and senior business managers, 72% reported that they required massive volume of information to be productive in their job. Nonetheless, the participant also stated that extreme multitasking was res ponsible for the following: 32% reported they were experiencing poor health; 65% were not satisfied with their job due to tension with their co-workers; and 61% stated that personal and social relationships were compromised (Ruff, 2002, p.5). Other negative impacts of multitasking reported by the participants included: poor concentration at workplace; diminished productivity; and persistent hostility leading to a chronic state of bad temper (Ruff, 2002, p.5). In spite of the inherent risks outlined above, multitasking is gaining prominence in the business arena at an alarming rate (Puthumana, n.d., par 1). In light of stiff competition in the market, most business organizations have adopted new strategies to maximize productivity using limited resources. As a result, the need to hire and retain workers with multitasking skills (especially generation Y employees) cannot be overemphasized. Majority of business organization have adopted multitasking as a strategy to augment productivit y at workplace and achieve the objectives of the company. Thus, in an attempt to evade retrenchment, cut down on staff hiring and increase productivity at the same time, majority of business organizations are searching for a multi-skilled workforce to achieve organizational goals (Sonnet Hood, 2008, p.60). References Puthumana, A.K. (n.d.). Multitasking: Giving an edge over others. Retrieved from https://www.deccanherald.com/Advertising We will write a custom article sample on The Myth of Multitasking specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Rosen, C. (2008). The Myth of Multitasking. A Journal of Technology Society, 105 110. Ruff, J. (2002). Information Overload: Causes, symptoms and Solutions. Web. Sonnet, D., Hood, A. (2008). Generation Y as hospitality employees: Framing a research agenda. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 15, 59-68.

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Free Term Paper Free Term Paper Free Term Paper Free term paper has many advantages as well as disadvantages. From one side, free term paper gives you a chance to read a relevant sample on your topic before you start writing your own paper. From the other side, many students copy free term paper and submit it as their own. Copying results in plagiarism and F for the course. offers the following services: 1) free term paper samples; 2) free term paper writing tips; 3) custom term paper writing service. The benefits of custom written papers are many. Firstly, custom term paper is written from scratch. Secondly, custom term paper is never posted online. Thirdly, you can ask for as many revisions as you need! Do not hesitate to order professional term paper writing service at our site! Free Term Paper Sample Nuclear power has been used in desalting plants. As a precedent for such an idea there are combination steam-electric and water-conversion plants such as that operating on the island of Aruba in the West Indies. Here the by-product heat from a power plant is used to desalt the island's drinking water. The first nuclear-powered desalination plant was built by the United States at its military base at McMurdo Sound in the Antarctic. This is a small unit, producing 14,400 gallons of fresh water daily, and not economically competitive with conventionally fueled distillation plants. However, since it is very costly to import fuel to this distant base, the nuclear desalting plant was judged to be advisable. Experts feel that to compete with coal, oil, or gas, nuclear power must produce at least 50 megawatts of power and ten million gallons of fresh water a day. Russia seems to have a lead on the United States in the field of large nuclear desalination plants. In the city of Shevchenko on the and east shore of the Caspian Sea, there is a conventional power-plant-desalination combination supplying 1 1/2 million gallons of fresh water a day. The Russians have immediate plans for another desalination plant at Shevchenko, this one to be supplied with heat from a nuclear power plant. Our country is planning for such nuclear combination plants by the middle of the next decade. In March 1964, the Office of Science and Technology reported the findings of its study of large nuclear-powered desalination plants. Suggested as feasible by 1975 were installations producing from 1000 to 1500 megawatts of power and from 500 to 800 million gallons of water per day. Fresh water would be produced at a cost of less than $0.30 per 1000 gallons. Sites suggested for these giant dual-purpose nuclear-energy plants were Southern California, Arizona, the Gulf Coast, a nd the New York City area. The firm of Atomics International has proposed a combination nuclear power plant and desalination plant for erection in California. This sodium graphite reactor would produce 400,000 kilowatts of electricity and 50 million gallons of byproduct fresh water daily at a cost of only $0.26 per 1000 gallons. On a shorter-range basis, a joint committee of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the Atomic Energy Commission, and the Department of the Interior began investigation of smaller plants producing between 5 and 100 million gallons of fresh water a day and from 150 to 750 megawatts of electricity. These smaller plants are foreseen as early as 1970.

Strategic Planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Planning - Assignment Example Irish colleges have changed their age old stance of focusing only on domestic students. Globalization of educational system has forced Irish colleges to think beyond domestic boundaries in order to attract international students. Higher educational system of Ireland has already experienced a boom due to rapid internationalization during the period of 1995 to 2007, which is known as ‘Celtic Tiger years’. In that era, China was an important source for student immigration in Irish colleges but supply of international student has reduced after the recession which has painstakingly reduced industrial output of Irish economy. As a result of industrial slowdown in Ireland, private parties have reduced higher education funding for universities and colleges (ICEF Monitor, 2012). In such context, Irish government has taken initiative known as â€Å"Education in Ireland† in order to market the existing education programme in Irish universities and colleges in international m arkets such as Argentina, Brazil, China, India, USA etc. Irish Government has planned to implement recommendations made by Hunt Report (2011) in order to attract international students... Hence, due to involvement of customer perception variables, Irish colleges need to build their brand among international students in order to convince them that Irish colleges are capable of delivering quality education. The researcher in the study is head of Strategic Planning Division of Irish owned and managed college and board of the college has asked the researcher to prepare strategic recommendation for the college on how to increase its penetration in Argentine educational sector and simultaneously increase its Argentine student base. Hence, following sections of the study will try to throw some light on issues like macro environmental analysis of Argentina, analysis of educational sector of Argentina, challenges regarding cultural and managerial practices in both countries, identifying strategic options etc. Part 1- Research Macro-environment To understand a country, one must take a step forward to analyze macro-environment of the country; hence the researcher will analyze ma cro-environment of Argentina in terms of PESTLE analysis. Political Argentina can be called as pariah state due to its unstable political environment which is complemented with nepotism, corruption and cronyism. Gabriel Torres (who is senior analyst in Moody's) has stated that, â€Å"Argentina's inability to solve its political differences is a problem, contentious politics make the country less able to cope with the impact of economic shocks† (Mercopress, 2009). Although political instability in the country has hampered the economic growth in the country but Argentine government has taken initiatives during 1990s to reform the educational sector in order to increase privatization and internationalization of higher education sector. Educational reform

Answer the 5 questions of investment portfolio management Essay

Answer the 5 questions of investment portfolio management - Essay Example Present value of Dividends employs the cost of equity as the discount figure. Operating free cash flow is the cash residue after eliminating direct costs, working capital and capital expenditure needed for future growth, but before any payments to suppliers of capital. The firm’s weighted average cost of capital (WACC) is the discount rate employed in determining operating free cash flow. Free cash flow to equity refers to operating free cash flow less payment to debt holders (Strong, 2008). The firm’s cost of equity is used as the discount rate. Present value of Cash flow allows a degree of flexibility for changes in sales and expenses, which implies varying rates of growth over time. However, present value of cashflow valuation approach has a weakness in that it is heavily dependent on growth rates of cash flows and the discount rate estimates. Relative valuation approach to security valuation offers information on how the market is presently valuing the stock. Compon ents measured using the relative valuation technique include the price earning ratio, price to sales ratio, price to book value and the price to cash flow. Unlike the present value of security valuation, relative valuation approach does not offer insights as to whether current valuations are appropriate. Thus, valuations could be too low or high at a certain point in time. As such, Relative valuation is suitable when there are comparable firms in terms of the risk, industry and size in the market. It is also appropriate when the aggregate market and the entity’s industry are not under valuation extreme. That is to mean that the collective market and the firm’s industry should not be acutely overvalued or undervalued (Strong, 2008). Both cash flow approach and relative valuation approach have several factors in common. One is that they are both affected by the investor’s required return on the stock since this return rate becomes a significant element of the disc ount rate. Secondly, the two valuation approaches are affected by the growth rate estimation employed in the valuation technique such as dividends, sales or earnings. Therefore, the two approaches may be considered as complementary. 2. The concepts of systematic and unsystematic risk, variance, covariance, standard deviation and beta as each of these relate to investment management. Unsystematic risks refer to the kind of uncertainty that is associated with the industry in which a company operates. Unsystematic risks are also referred to as specific risks or diversifiable risks for they are specific in each industry, and they are reduced through diversification. Unsystematic risks arise as a result of factors particular to an industry or the firm such product category, marketing, research and development and pricing. Systematic risks refer to the kind of uncertainty that is inherent in the whole market segment. They are also referred to as market risks or non-diversifiable risks bec ause they are inherent in the entire market and diversification do not result in their reduction. Systematic risks are such as war, inflation, change in taxation, global security perils and political instability that affect the functioning of firms in all industries. Total risk is a combination of systematic and unsystematic risks. Variance is the measure of volatility from the mean. Variance helps an investor to establish the risk involved in purchasing a certain security. A higher variance indicates greater variability and thus greater risk. A greater variance also

Principles of Risk Management and Insurance Essay

Principles of Risk Management and Insurance - Essay Example For the shed in the backyard, it is covered up to $15,000 (10% of Coverage A which is $150,000). Personal property can only be covered up to $75,000(50% of Coverage A which is $150,000). Additional living expense for living in a rented apartment until their home is rebuilt is covered up to $45,000 which is 30% of coverage A. The home office computer can only be covered up to $1,500 which is stated in the special limits of liability clause. Should the Grangers will lose the case against their neighbors (being sued for not controlling their son), their personal liability coverage is only up to $100,000. Before coverage, the Grangers are also required to pay for the deductible of $250 as stated in their policy. 2. Why is it important for an insurer to consider each factor? a) The credit score or credit worthiness of the insured is important for an insurer or underwriter in considering the homeowner’s premium for insurance companies Approximates the probability of an insurer makin g its claim against their possibility based on their credit score or history of borrowing and repayment. Credit score also is a good determinant for insurance companies to determine the individual’s capacity to pay their insurance premiums.

Business Applying Concepts Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Applying Concepts - Article Example This is a significant issue that the US must substantially change within the Chinese perspective in order obtain trust from them and maximize its foreign investment with them (Asia Society, 2011). This in the long run would substantially improve relationship between them and other future rising economies. For the mean time, the US just needs to increase its foreign direct investment so as to create more jobs for its people, increase Federal taxes, and eventually bring back again its status to a strong economy just like from the past. The US has been through various political challenges and economic changes. Many things have changed because of these. The US woke up one day and found out that the sleeping giant economy of China started to work its way up to vibrant dominance leaving its very own economy behind. Now, its substantial goal must be to create dynamic and attractive economic atmosphere preparing a special place for China for it. After all, it would be a mess on its part to d isregard the great potential of China to back up its economy. For instance, China is known to produce low-cost service and product offerings. If the US would want to create again a cutting edge economy, it needs to consider some important moves. One of them is to create effective value chain with China. After all, the manufacturing cost gap between US and China is shrinking. This in return would help attract China’s economy to invest further in the US. This would allow the US economy to become as much as possible comparable to what China has been offering to the world market. Based on this issue, one essential thought would be is that the modern internationalization of business for instance based on the case of China and the US is about trust and building of relationship. This could only be substantiated if effective policies are implemented, political challenges are addressed and effective foreign direct investment is emancipated. The challenge now on the part of the US is o n how it could maximize its foreign direct investment with China especially now that the latter has variety of choices which to conduct business with. Furthermore, the entire world looks forward to initiate direct investment with China. China’s value therefore substantially rises, allowing it to open many doors for its future economic performance. The US without question still has the influence over the world. At present, it is dynamic with implementing international law which at some point may have significant contribution to its future economic condition. Establishing a remarkable law towards foreign direct investment with China is at some point a reliable and even sustainable way of ensuring trust and relationship. China may have bad experience in foreign direct investment with the US in the past, but the entire issue was based on existing rule, policies and procedures. The US may have potential control over them and create a way for reform. What is important at this point is to make the US market economy appealing to China, creating a reason on the part of the latter to engage direct investment into the US economy because of remarkable advantages on its part. However, due to the US’s economic situation at present, China may have certain level of hesitation to fully engage itself with the US economy. However, even if this would be the kind of reasoning on the part of China, the US may

Technology is Bad for Us Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Technology is Bad for Us - Essay Example These are only a small fraction of the numerous reasons why technology has been considerably harmful to the lives and wellbeing of the people whom it affects. While it has had a reasonable number of positive effects on the lives of these people also, it seems that if health and the emotional wellbeing of people are priorities for a society, the negative effects outweigh the positive effects. One major reason, which is widely accepted throughout every part of the world, is that the increasing technology is affecting the health of people negatively. This is a fact, which has a significant impact on any country or city, where the people experience a significant influence of technology in their everyday lives. This occurs mainly because technology offers people several alternatives to physical exertion. The people, whose ancestors used to walk for miles to get from any location to the next, have the luxury to drive themselves. This ease has facilitated their lives so much that they hesit ate to distances, which require ten-minute walk. Even these ten minutes seem a lot to spare to someone who is living in the fast-moving world of today, a world, which has speeded up immensely due to the rise of technological advancement. Nevertheless, even those people who do not work under the pressure of deadlines and time constraints choose to take this shortcut to travelling, simply because it is the easier, more convenient option. This has led to a very serious problem amongst the people of today, which is obesity and high cholesterol, each of which are avoidable only if one is in the habit of physically exerting themselves daily, whether by exercise, sports or simply walking the distances they need to travel (Kates, Hohenesmer and Kasperson, pp. 402-460). The obesity one sees in the developed countries today is something, which was not so common just a few decades ago. This in itself is proof that technology has had an adverse effect on the wellbeing of people. There are also several other aspects of technology today, which encourage people to choose convenience over hard work, simply due to the ease with which the relevant technology is available. An example of this phenomenon is how people choose to send emails, text messages and call people rather than going to visit them or using a slightly less convenient method of communication, such as writing a letter. This, on the surface of it, is a large advantage of technology, as it is an example of the several ways in which technology makes our lives more efficient and speedy. However, people pay a large price in terms of the negative effect this has on the relationships between people. There was once a time when one would make an effort to meet their family occasionally, if living separately, in order to maintain the relationship, and embellish the bond that exists between them. This has, however, been dismissed from the list of priorities as people have learned to replace a heartfelt meeting with a twenty -minute phone call. The level of intimacy in the interactions has decreased due to this reason, as people do not value meeting in person as much as they used to. Friends, who would keep in touch by meeting occasionally and catching up with each other, are now content with exchanging a few words through text message or Facebook wall posts. One can compare this substitute for live meetings to substituting fresh vegetables for canned food. While the content of both the meetings and the text messages

Business Applying Concepts Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Applying Concepts - Article Example This is a significant issue that the US must substantially change within the Chinese perspective in order obtain trust from them and maximize its foreign investment with them (Asia Society, 2011). This in the long run would substantially improve relationship between them and other future rising economies. For the mean time, the US just needs to increase its foreign direct investment so as to create more jobs for its people, increase Federal taxes, and eventually bring back again its status to a strong economy just like from the past. The US has been through various political challenges and economic changes. Many things have changed because of these. The US woke up one day and found out that the sleeping giant economy of China started to work its way up to vibrant dominance leaving its very own economy behind. Now, its substantial goal must be to create dynamic and attractive economic atmosphere preparing a special place for China for it. After all, it would be a mess on its part to d isregard the great potential of China to back up its economy. For instance, China is known to produce low-cost service and product offerings. If the US would want to create again a cutting edge economy, it needs to consider some important moves. One of them is to create effective value chain with China. After all, the manufacturing cost gap between US and China is shrinking. This in return would help attract China’s economy to invest further in the US. This would allow the US economy to become as much as possible comparable to what China has been offering to the world market. Based on this issue, one essential thought would be is that the modern internationalization of business for instance based on the case of China and the US is about trust and building of relationship. This could only be substantiated if effective policies are implemented, political challenges are addressed and effective foreign direct investment is emancipated. The challenge now on the part of the US is o n how it could maximize its foreign direct investment with China especially now that the latter has variety of choices which to conduct business with. Furthermore, the entire world looks forward to initiate direct investment with China. China’s value therefore substantially rises, allowing it to open many doors for its future economic performance. The US without question still has the influence over the world. At present, it is dynamic with implementing international law which at some point may have significant contribution to its future economic condition. Establishing a remarkable law towards foreign direct investment with China is at some point a reliable and even sustainable way of ensuring trust and relationship. China may have bad experience in foreign direct investment with the US in the past, but the entire issue was based on existing rule, policies and procedures. The US may have potential control over them and create a way for reform. What is important at this point is to make the US market economy appealing to China, creating a reason on the part of the latter to engage direct investment into the US economy because of remarkable advantages on its part. However, due to the US’s economic situation at present, China may have certain level of hesitation to fully engage itself with the US economy. However, even if this would be the kind of reasoning on the part of China, the US may

Visual analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Visual analysis - Essay Example The advertisement is in the most appropriate color palette. Red is the dominant color, which stirs up the piquancy of the paint. It is a vibrant color that gives a fine texture especially with the mixture of grey and black. The blend of color brings an atmosphere of calmness and creativity, which easily sells the brand to customers. The paint clearly uses a balance of color in the cartoon drawings, words and the color of the drink. The black merges well with red, whereas grey and white adds some lure to the advertisement. The shape of the bottle, drawings and the cartoons also give an impression of fine art. They bring a balance of different forms of art that produce a wholly captivating paint. The rhythm of the clouds surrounding the bottle give the feeling that once a person takes the drink, then they will be in a jovial mood occasioned by the positive energy. This advertisement is a paint that aims at marketing Coca-Cola drinks. It is a design that evokes the positive energy that a person can get when they take the drink. The perfection in display is one of a kind, the type of advertisement that makes a person buy something because of the beauty in the advertisement. It is only fair to say that the paint convinces a person to take the drink and get the energy. Still, the drink in the bottle just looks as sweet as the mixture of colors used to paint it. The paint tells people that Coca-Cola is also an energy-drink. People love drinks that are exceptionally good to their health. Thus, it is with no doubt that, the artistic work exhibited in the advertisement gives the idea that it is the most appropriate drink to take and build energy to undertake different activities. This advertisement is visibly a heart-winner and effortlessly influences people into drinking Coca-Cola. However, if they would use a photo of a person taking the drink, it would be more appealing than it is now. The target

Mattel and Toy Safety Essay Example for Free

Mattel and Toy Safety Essay For the better part of 30 years now, corporate executives have struggled with the issue of the firms responsibility to its society. Early on it was argued by some that the corporations sole responsibility was to provide a maximum financial return to shareholders. It became quickly apparent to everyone, however, that this pursuit of financial gain had to take place within the laws of the land. Though social activist groups and others throughout the 1960s advocated a broader notion of corporate responsibility, it was not until the significant social legislation of the early 1970s that this message became indelibly clear as a result of the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). These new governmental bodies established that national public policy now officially recognized the environment, employees, and consumers to be significant and legitimate stakeholders of business. From that time on, corporate executives have had to wrestle with how they balance their commitments to the corporations owners with their obligations to an ever-broadening group of stakeholders who claim both legal and ethical rights. A. B. Carroll, (1991). In this paper I will discuss the issue of toy safety in reference to Mattel, Inc. , one of the world’s leading toy makers. Mattel had ordered a series of recalls of children’s playthings that had been found to be coated with lead paint. The toy recalls had alarmed parents and consumer activists, as well as the toy industry, retailers who marketed their products, and product safety regulators. I will address the following circumstances that involved Mattel and their safety issues. Do I believe that Mattel acted in a socially responsible and ethical manner with regard to the safety of its toys? Why or why not? What should or could Mattel have done differently, if anything? Who or what do I believe was responsible for the fact that children were exposed to potentially dangerous toys and why? What is the best way to ensure the safety of children’s toys? In responding, I will consider how the following groups would answer this question: government regulators (in the U. S. and China); consumer advocates, the toy industry, children’s product retailers; and standard-setting organizations. What might explain the differences in their point of view? What do you think is the best way for society to protect children from harmful toys? Specifically, what are the appropriate roles for various stakeholders in this process? Mattel Corporation is the largest toy company in the world, a publicly traded organization with a market capitalization of over $6. 5 billion, employing approximately 36,000 people worldwide in 42 countries. Their products are sold in 150 nations In the summer of 2007, Mattel suffered a major product recall incident. The first recall was the result of vendor failure in China where traces of lead paint were discovered on 83 different products. This led to a recall of 1. 5 million items worldwide. The products contained levels of lead paint that failed the products’ specification. Mattel even announced that a significant portion of the toys were recalled because of a design flaw and not substandard manufacturing. Mattel requires the factories it contracts with to use paint and other materials provided by certified suppliers. Mattel executives said they did not know if the contract manufacturer substituted paint from a noncertified supplier or if a certified supplier caused the problem. I believe that Mattel acted in a socially responsible and ethical manner with regard to the safety of its toys. During this crisis, Mattel contacted their chief suppliers and asked them to pull the recalled products from the shelf. I think this was the appropriate thing to do in this case. First things first, pulling the product and afterwards warning the public of their finding so we could get the lead painted toys out of the hands of our kids. Then getting down to the problem, trying to figure out where they went wrong to correct the problem. I do believe that this incident could have been avoided, but it was handled in a perfectly responsible and ethical manner. Some of the things that I think Mattel could have done differently from the beginning were to lay out rules and regulations for all of its external vendors and their subcontractors that were cutting corners to save money and time. Some of these subcontractors chose to violate the rules and use paint that was coated with lead, which went against Mattel’s rules. Perhaps if Mattel would have ran periodical checks with the suppliers and subcontractors the lead paint could have been caught before the toys went out. Although it was unintended, Mattel is the responsible one for the fact that children were exposed to potentially dangerous toys. According to the case study and given factors, Mattel has always held a reputation of being a good corporate citizen and their intentions were never something like this to happen. But because Mattel fail to follow up on their guidelines and set rules with vendors and subcontractors to assure they too were complying within guidelines, it all falls back on the originating organization itself. Mattel Inc.  CEO, Robert Ekert reported that the company could have done a better job overseeing the subcontractors in China which produce more than 21 million toys that were recalled. Federal regulators and toy manufacturers have spotted loose Chinese standards spotty US enforcement which contributed too many calls regarding the recalls of Chinese-made toys, food and other products regarding health threats. Ekert made an attempt to bring down public outcry by going to the Senate Appropriations subcommittee to seek to test the safety of Chinese-made products within their own laboratories that are certified within their own company. Magyck, S. 2011). Upon my reading and research the best way to ensure the safety of children’s toys is through the U. S. toy safety standards and regulations. Toy safety standards are shaped by a variety of considerations, including research on child development, dynamic safety testing, and risk analysis. The primary safety standards for the U. S. toy industry are the mandatory federal standard (Code of Federal Regulations, Commercial Practices 16 [16CFR]) and the toy industry has also developed and adheres to voluntary standards (ASTM F963-03 Standard Consumer Safety Specification on Toy Safety). In addition to adhering to the federal requirements and additional self-imposed safety measures, the toy industry has initiated reassurance testing to affirm the safety of the toys already on the shelves. At the same time, the toy industry is developing a new, mandatory testing protocol by accredited laboratories in conjunction with the well-respected American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The U. S. toy industry understands the concerns many parents have about the safety of toys on the market and is encouraging the U. S.  Congress to pass comprehensive legislation on consumer product safety. The toy industry is also providing additional resources to inform consumers and parents and provide useful tools through this site and through partnerships with independent consumer organizations. The toy industry is also working with health and safety experts to provide parents and consumers with practical tips and relevant information. In the U. S. , the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is the independent federal agency that oversees the safety of toys and other consumer products. Nearly 50% of the CPSCs resources ($66 million annually) are used towards the agencys work on toys and other childrens products. The CPSC enforces the U. S. requirements for toy safety and, along with the manufacturer or distributor, issues product recalls as needed. Toy Industry Association (2011). I believe the best way for society to protect children from harmful toys is to follow along the lines, the eight steps that the Consumers Union proposed to help safeguard the health and safety of American consumers from the onslaught of unsafe Chinese-produced consumer products and foods.

The Important Internet Properties In Marketing Information Technology Essay

The Important Internet Properties In Marketing Information Technology Essay According to the research, 530 million users are connecting to the internet which is about 8.5% of global population. Today we see most of the company use the internet to reach their customer as additional channel to their existing traditional marketing. In the past, a way for the company to get customer feedback is thru telephone and email. But now they can get their customer feedback thru internet instantly. Thus company nowadays must change their strategies to cope with internet impact on their marketing strategies. Internet is all about bits not atoms, all the information, products, and communication in digital can be stored, sent and received instantly. For marketer, the traditional marketing to reach customer by using physical stores and catalogue while using internet advertising will be more effective. Task Automation also one of the internet properties that affect marketing. For example, self service online that makes automated transaction and payment online possible also make operational cost lower for the company. Internet also had bought with it the mediating technology. Social network, music file sharing and business partnership can be formed regardless of geographical location. Its also has eliminate the boundaries and distance in this online world. And finally, time moderation is where customer have high expectation to the company on communication aspect. Customer want their problem and issues be solved quickly and there come customer services department in the company to deal with it. What concerns about consumer privacy are raised by the increased use of wireless computing and handheld devices outside the home or workplace? The rapid used of wireless network technology outside the home and wokplace has resulted in increase concern over their privacy. Consumer now can access the wireless website and service through various device such as mobile phone, smart phone, PDA and their two way radio. The common privacy concerns are location-base collection, tracking visit to website and increased of personal data collection by unauthorized party. There are potential uses of location based information by unauthorized party in wireless space. This is because consumer specific location can be tracked whenever the consumer wireless device is on. This information is extremely sensitive and can be used and provides opportunities for abuse of the information. Another privacy concern is tracking using cookie as consumer browsing patterns on the wireless internet being monitored and traced by individual. Wireless device tend to be strongly tied to an individual more than computer as people are less likely shared their device with other so there is potential user being tracked in wireless web more than normal website. Wireless content is frequently most valuable to customer when it is personalized. Businesses may seek to collect large amount of highly personal information for used in personalization. Abuse by companies, law enforcement agency and civil litigant are potential abuser of this information. How will social media and consumer-generated content change the way marketers operate? Explain Social media and consumer-generated content such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Wikipedia etc has changed the marketing world to certain extend. They represent low-cost tools that are used to combine technology and social interaction with the use of words. Nowadays marketer need to change their method from trying to sell to connect with customer. In order to change the customer relationships from trying to sell to seeking to engage and connect with customers, marketers need to use various methods, including sites like Facebook and Twitter to socially interact with their customer. Marketers have to realise that instead of only relying on big campaigns they have to make authentic, helpful relationships and communication the new campaign. They need to utilize the social media platform as their personal broadcasting network because people will inevitably share such experiences through the social web. Its will be online mouth-to mouth advertising campaign for marketers. Social media also allows marketers to build their own exclusive online communities built around industry topics, specific interest, or organizations. Through this exclusive community ability they can manage their customer within their own sales data. In turn, allowing marketer to message their entire community as owner of the community. It is observed that the global Internet has driven styles, tastes and products to converge and create a more homogeneous, global marketplace, and creating an online monoculture. Explain the observation. From my point of view, the observation is about global village where worlds culture shrinking and expanding at the same time due to pervasive technological advances i.e. internet that allow for instantaneous sharing of culture. On the Internet, physical distance is even less to the real-time communicative activities of people, and therefore social spheres are greatly expanded by the openness of the web and the ease at which people can search for online communities and interact with others that share the same interests and concerns. Due to the enhanced speed of communication online and the ability of people to read about, spread, and react to global news very rapidly. This is because the internet bridges time and space, people will come together in a large global village. Internet is now days one of those platform where one can have any necessity of life at home while he/ she is sitting in front of the computer. Everybody will find business owners from the world who are running their business from their home having a room and a personal computer. Concept of business is now days progressing rapidly among the business communities. The products offered by business owners are not limited only to the specific regions but internet has opened the doors of global village for every business owners.

Road less Travelled :: essays research papers

Certain administrators, educators, and medical professionals in our ranks are recommending strange books which teach skepticism, atheism, and New Age philosophies. This present report draws the curtain back, so you will not be ignorant when these concepts and their corollary code words are presented in your area. It may all sound very exciting, mystifying, and life-changing. But it is old-fashioned Oriental mysticism in a new guise. There are churchmen and medical professionals in our ranks who claim that these books will change a person’s life. We agree. THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED M. Scott Peck, M.D., is a practicing psychiatrist. His most famous book is The Road Less Traveled, which was initially published in 1978. It has been a national best-seller ever since. This book, and its companion volumes by the same author, are increasingly being urged on our people. The subtitle of this book is A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth. Sounds pretty good, does it not? Do not be fooled. We are giving you an advance warning. You may find these theories taught at your own church one of these days. Peck excites the imagination to lofty flights of fancy while subtly instilling pride in one’s own wisdom. This is the secret of its fascination. It lures one on to seek a wisdom hidden from, and unavailable to, commonplace people. One might think that M. Scott Peck is a very wise man, in view of the profundity which people imagine they find in his writings; yet we will learn that, by his own admission, he is a tobacco and alcohol addict. The wisdom of the world is foolishness with God. â€Å"The wisdom which spiritualism imparts is that described by the apostle James, which ‘descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.’ This, however, the great deceiver [initially] conceals.†Ã¢â‚¬â€Great Controversy, 554. M. Scott Peck teaches his readers that they must forsake the half-truths their parents have taught them and become skeptics in order to attain the level where wisdom begins: â€Å"Science is a religion of skepticism. To escape from the microcosm of our childhood experience, from the microcosm of our culture and its dogmas, from the half-truths our parents told us, it is essential that we be skeptical about what we think we have learned to date. It is the scientific attitude that enables us to transform our personal experience of the microcosm into a personal experience of the macrocosm. Road less Travelled :: essays research papers Certain administrators, educators, and medical professionals in our ranks are recommending strange books which teach skepticism, atheism, and New Age philosophies. This present report draws the curtain back, so you will not be ignorant when these concepts and their corollary code words are presented in your area. It may all sound very exciting, mystifying, and life-changing. But it is old-fashioned Oriental mysticism in a new guise. There are churchmen and medical professionals in our ranks who claim that these books will change a person’s life. We agree. THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED M. Scott Peck, M.D., is a practicing psychiatrist. His most famous book is The Road Less Traveled, which was initially published in 1978. It has been a national best-seller ever since. This book, and its companion volumes by the same author, are increasingly being urged on our people. The subtitle of this book is A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth. Sounds pretty good, does it not? Do not be fooled. We are giving you an advance warning. You may find these theories taught at your own church one of these days. Peck excites the imagination to lofty flights of fancy while subtly instilling pride in one’s own wisdom. This is the secret of its fascination. It lures one on to seek a wisdom hidden from, and unavailable to, commonplace people. One might think that M. Scott Peck is a very wise man, in view of the profundity which people imagine they find in his writings; yet we will learn that, by his own admission, he is a tobacco and alcohol addict. The wisdom of the world is foolishness with God. â€Å"The wisdom which spiritualism imparts is that described by the apostle James, which ‘descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.’ This, however, the great deceiver [initially] conceals.†Ã¢â‚¬â€Great Controversy, 554. M. Scott Peck teaches his readers that they must forsake the half-truths their parents have taught them and become skeptics in order to attain the level where wisdom begins: â€Å"Science is a religion of skepticism. To escape from the microcosm of our childhood experience, from the microcosm of our culture and its dogmas, from the half-truths our parents told us, it is essential that we be skeptical about what we think we have learned to date. It is the scientific attitude that enables us to transform our personal experience of the microcosm into a personal experience of the macrocosm.

Seven Major Changes in the Workplace

Running head: SEVEN MAJOR CHANGES IN THE WORKPLACE Seven Major Changes in the Workplace Seven Major Changes in the Workplace With the ever-growing population and technological changes many employers are going to have to adapt. Robert Barner highlights seven major changes that will affect the places where we work, both for the employer and employee (Kreitner, 2004, p. 76). The seven major changes are (1) The virtual organization (2) The just-in-time workforce (3) The ascendancy of knowledge workers (4) Computerized coaching and electronic monitoring (5) The growth of worker diversity (6) The aging workforce and (7) The birth of the dynamic workforce (Kreitner, p. 76). I will discuss how these seven changes major changes will affect the managers at my company, Blake Inc. The Virtual Organization We are living in a time where technology is in the forefront. Things are constantly changing and companies must be able to keep up with it. Right now in my company my managers are scrambling to keep up with the constantly changing technological world. Managers are now being set up with access to their computers from home. So if they are unable to come in to work or need to leave early they can still communicate with us. They can do everything from home that they can do at the office. They are also working on a plan, in case of an emergency or the office building is no longer usable that we can set up shop somewhere else within 48 hours. My manager is also setting up a web site that will be accessible by all employees to get update information concerning the company, such as business decisions, software help and 24 hour technical support. The Just-In-Time Workforce At Blake we are aligned with Temp Agencies that are able to supply us with workers at a moments notice. My managers know that must be able to meet high demands. They also set up incentives for employees wishing to put in extra work. They understand that is better to have people who know the business to do the work rather than a temp who really has no interest or knowledge in the company. The Ascendancy of Knowledge Workers Now more than ever it is important that companies hire very knowledgeable people. My managers are now trying to hire more people with a technical or analytical background to help with reports and other information needed by employees. Employees must know what they want and what they need so that they can effectively communicate this to the technical staff. Also, the managers at Blake must be able to step up and jump in when needed. This means they must know their job and all aspects of the company. The managers must know the responsibilities of each of their employees and make sure that their employees are knowledgeable as well. We have recently been asked to create a manual entailing our job responsibilities so that if something happens someone else will have knowledge of what we do. Computerized Coaching and Electronic Monitoring Being an internet-based company all employees has access to a wealth of information through the intranet. From the intranet you can look up other employees, find customer information such as contracts and orders placed, to information on employee benefits. At Blake employees just found out that their internet access was truly being monitored. Upon finding this out Managers took away internet access from all employees in which it is not a job necessity. This did not go well with employees as they felt as though their privacy was being invaded. As a supervisor I had to make sure that my employees had access to the websites they needed but nothing more. Employees feel that they are not trusted and treated like babies. Managers at Blake must be careful not to alienate employees in order to try and gain more efficiency. The Growth of Worker Diversity Blake employs a very diversified group of people. In fact some employees can barely speak English well. At times it gets kind of hard to understand them. My Managers must work hard not to alienate any one group of people. Every employee must be given the same chance to excel. They also must be proactive in learning about each group’s backgrounds and or culture as to not offend anyone. Managers at Blake are becoming more understanding o different beliefs and cultures and do not punish people for partaking (taking a day off) in these beliefs. The Aging Workforce Managers at Blake encourage continuing education. In fact anyone who wishes to go to school can do so for free, it is mentioned on our website how they will provide up to $50,000 for each employee towards their education. Education is encouraged whether you are young or old. Managers really respect the older employees because the hold so much knowledge and experience, so they must be careful not to quickly replace them with a younger face. It is important to have a good mix, as not all young college grads are a good fit as not all older people are. The Birth of the Dynamic Workforce Blake managers must work to be more encouraging. They will have to be able to motivate employees and encourage cross training. Employees must be able to help out in other departments when needed. Slow times in one department may mean a chaotic time in another. Being able to meet the demands in the high productivity department and use workers from the slow department can decrease cost. Managers must be able to think ahead in order to keep up with competition and stay ahead of the game. Blake is a pretty good company to work for but has been behind the times for a while. My managers are proactively trying to keep up with industry standards. This has caused a lot of revamping and the recruiting of more knowledgeable employees. Blake Managers understand that if they want to stay in business they must come to terms with the changes in the 21st century. Reference Kreitner, R. (2004). Management (9th ed. ). Boston, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

About “Oh what a lovely war” the play by joan littlewood Essay

This classic play devised by Joan Littlewood and the Theatre Workshop takes a humorous and light-hearted walk through the history of World War One. The production brims with anecdotes, jokes, songs and dance, but we are never allowed to forget that the Great War was no joke, and are presented with a thought-provoking insight into the futility of war. It was written in the time of the swinging 60s, a time of rebellion from the youth against the conformities of their seniors. Especially when it came to the futility of war; the Vietnam War was on topic opinion. Unbeknown to popular belief this is not the reason Littlewood wrote her play. The production came to life through the combined efforts of director and actors in Joan Littlewood’s Theatre Workshop in 1963. They had been provoked by a BBC program with songs from WW I: ‘Terrible!’ – ‘Sentimental.’ – ‘All that feeling and no imagination.’ – ‘Pure nostalgia.’ – ‘They couldn’t sing like that stuck in a trench!’ – ‘Waiting for the next bomb to blow their heads off.’ These were the words of Littlewood and her actors. World War 1 was responsible for the deaths of 10 million people, the equivalent of a twin tower disaster every day for 4 years. From the play you receive a sense of near blind patriotism and hope which is exemplified through the songs such as good byee-ee. These moments contrasts from the heightened physicality like the drill sergeant. The drill sergeant character dimensions were he was a tall man, of the upper classes. His character dimensions differed from the soldiers he was trying to instruct. They were poor, low class and incompetent. Oh what a lovely war provides all the Elements of Drama. Six major elements of drama according to Aristotle: plot, character, theme, dialogue, music, spectacle. MC part, he tells a joke ‘have you heard the one about The great Von and his 3 daughters†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The MC controls all the action in the play. This is very similar to the Threepenny opera written by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s. Both plays show their meaning through song s, like I don’t want to be a soldier and The Ballard of sexual imperative. A contrasting play would the naturalistic play of the children. Other than character dimensions I have learnt; Emotional Perception. The detection and apprehension of emotional states, feelings and reactions both in oneself and others. Emotional Recall and Expression. Emotional perceptions elicited from past experiences which can be used in understanding, portraying, and reflecting on the human condition and human behaviour. Guided Dramatic Play. Imaginative play stimulated by a trained leader. Nonverbal Communication. Communication without words using facial expression, gestures, and body language. Playing Space and Audience Space. An area for dramatic activities. A cleared space in a classroom without a designated place for observation by an audience. Theatrical production clearly establishes an acting area, or stage, and a designated audience area: proscenium (one side), thrust (three sides), area (four sides).

The Host Chapter 37: Wanted

There was a pattern to the wins. If Jared and Kyle played together, they won. If Jared played with Ian, then that team would win. It seemed to me that Jared could not be defeated, until I saw the brothers play together. At first it seemed to be a strained thing, for Ian at least, playing as teammates with Kyle. But after a few minutes of running in the dark, they fell into a familiar pattern-a pattern that had existed since long before I'd come to this planet. Kyle knew what Ian would do before Ian did it, and vice versa. Without having to speak, they told each other everything. Even when Jared pulled all the best players to his side-Brandt, Andy, Wes, Aaron, Lily, and Maggie as goalie-Kyle and Ian were victorious. â€Å"Okay, okay,† Jeb said, catching Aaron's goal attempt with one hand and tucking the ball under his arm. â€Å"I think we all know the winners. Now, I hate to be a party pooper, but there's work waiting†¦ and, to be honest, I'm bushed.† There were a few halfhearted protests and a few moans, but more laughter. No one seemed too upset to have the fun end. From the way a few people sat down right where they were and put their heads between their knees to breathe, it was clear Jeb wasn't the only one who was tired out. People began to drift out in twos and threes. I scooted to one side of the corridor's mouth, making room for them to pass, probably on their way to the kitchen. It had to be past time for lunch, though it was hard to mark the hour in this black hole. Through the gaps in the line of exiting humans, I watched Kyle and Ian. When the game was called, Kyle had raised his hand for a high five, but Ian had stalked past him without acknowledging the gesture. Then Kyle caught his brother's shoulder and spun him around. Ian knocked Kyle's hand away. I tensed for a fight-and it seemed like one at first. Kyle threw a punch toward Ian's stomach. Ian dodged it easily, though, and I saw that there was no force behind it. Kyle laughed and used his superior reach to rub his fist into Ian's scalp. Ian smacked that hand away, but this time he halfway smiled. â€Å"Good game, bro,† I heard Kyle say. â€Å"You've still got it.† â€Å"You're such an idiot, Kyle,† Ian answered. â€Å"You got the brains; I got the looks. Seems fair.† Kyle threw another half-strength punch. This time, Ian caught it and twisted his brother into a headlock. Now he was really smiling, and Kyle was cussing and laughing at the same time. It all looked very violent to me; my eyes narrowed, tight with the stress of watching. But at the same time, it brought to mind one of Melanie's memories: three puppies rolling on the grass, yapping furiously and baring their teeth as if their only desire was to rip out their brothers' throats. Yes, they're playing, Melanie confirmed. The bonds of brotherhood go deep. As they should. This is right. If Kyle really doesn't kill us, this will be a good thing. If, Melanie repeated morosely. â€Å"Hungry?† I looked up, and my heart stopped beating for a slightly painful moment. It seemed that Jared was still a believer. I shook my head. This gave me the moment I needed to be able to speak to him. â€Å"I'm not sure why, since I've done nothing besides sit here, but I'm just tired.† He held out his hand. Get a hold of yourself, Melanie warned me. He's just being courteous. You think I don't know that? I tried to keep my hand from shaking as I reached for his. He pulled me carefully to my feet-to my foot, really. I balanced there on my good leg, not sure how to proceed. He was confused, too. He still held my hand, but there was a wide space between us. I thought of how ridiculous I would look hopping through the caves, and felt my neck get warm. My fingers curled around his, though I wasn't really using him for support. â€Å"Where to?† â€Å"Ah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I frowned. â€Å"I don't really know. I suppose there's still a mat by the ho-in the storage area.† He frowned back, liking that idea no better than I did. And then a strong arm was under my arms, supporting my weight. â€Å"I'll get her where she needs to go,† Ian said. Jared's face was careful, the way he looked at me when he didn't want me to know what he was thinking. But he was looking at Ian now. â€Å"We were just discussing where exactly that would be. She's tired. Maybe the hospital†¦?† I shook my head at the same time Ian did. After the past horrible days spent there, I didn't think I could bear the room I'd once misguidedly feared. Especially Walter's empty bed†¦ â€Å"I've got a better place for her,† Ian said. â€Å"Those cots aren't much softer than rock, and she's got a lot of sore spots.† Jared still held my hand. Did he realize how tightly he was gripping it? The pressure was starting to get uncomfortable, but he didn't seem aware. And I certainly wasn't going to complain. â€Å"Why don't you get lunch?† Jared suggested to Ian. â€Å"You look hungry. I'll take her wherever you had planned†¦?† Ian chuckled, a low, dark sound. â€Å"I'm fine. And honestly, Jared, Wanda needs a bit more help than a hand. I don't know if you're†¦ comfortable enough with the situation to give her that. You see -â€Å" Ian paused to lean down and pull me quickly up into his arms. I gasped as the movement tugged at my side. Jared didn't free my hand. My fingertips were turning red. â€Å"-she's actually had enough exercise for one day, I think. You go on ahead to the kitchen.† They stared at each other while my fingertips turned purple. â€Å"I can carry her,† Jared finally said in a low voice. â€Å"Can you?† Ian challenged. He held me out, away from his body. An offer. Jared stared at my face for a long minute. Then he sighed and dropped my hand. Ow, that hurts! Melanie complained. She was referring to the sudden lance of pain that shot through my chest, not the return of blood to my fingers. Sorry. What do you want me to do about it? He's not yours. Yes. I know that. Ow. Sorry. â€Å"I think I'll tag along,† Jared said as Ian, with a tiny, triumphant smile hovering around the edges of his mouth, turned and headed toward the exit. â€Å"There's something I want to discuss with you.† â€Å"Suit yourself.† Jared didn't discuss anything at all as we walked through the dark tunnel. He was so quiet, I wasn't sure he was still there. But when we broke out into the light of the cornfield again, he was right beside us. He didn't speak until we were through the big plaza-until there was no one around but the three of us. â€Å"What's your take on Kyle?† he asked Ian. Ian snorted. â€Å"He prides himself on being a man of his word. Usually, I would trust a promise from him. In this situation†¦ I'm not letting her out of my sight.† â€Å"Good.† â€Å"It will be fine, Ian,† I said. â€Å"I'm not afraid.† â€Å"You don't have to be. I promise-no one is ever going to do something like this to you again. You will be safe here.† It was hard to look away from his eyes when they blazed like that. Hard to doubt anything he said. â€Å"Yes,† Jared agreed. â€Å"You will.† He was walking just behind Ian's shoulder. I couldn't see his expression. â€Å"Thanks,† I whispered. No one spoke again until Ian paused at the red and gray doors that leaned over the entrance to his cave. â€Å"Would you mind getting that?† Ian said to Jared, nodding toward the doors. Jared didn't move. Ian turned around so we could both see him; his face was careful again. â€Å"Your room? This is your better place?† Jared's voice was full of skepticism. â€Å"It's her room now.† I bit my lip. I wanted to tell Ian that of course this wasn't my room, but I didn't get a chance before Jared began questioning him. â€Å"Where's Kyle staying?† â€Å"With Wes, for now.† â€Å"And you?† â€Å"I'm not exactly sure.† They stared at each other with appraising eyes. â€Å"Ian, this is -† I started to say. â€Å"Oh,† he interrupted, as if just remembering me†¦ as if my weight was so insignificant that he'd forgotten I was here. â€Å"You're exhausted, aren't you? Jared, could you get the door, please?† Wordlessly, Jared wrenched the red door back with a bit too much force and shoved it on top of the gray one. I now really saw Ian's room for the first time, with the noon sun filtering down through the narrow cracks in the ceiling. It wasn't as bright as Jamie and Jared's room, or as tall. It was smaller, more proportionate. Roundish-sort of like my hole, only ten times the size. There were two twin mattresses on the floor, shoved against opposite walls to make a narrow aisle between them. Against the back wall, there was a long, low wooden cupboard; the left side had a pile of clothes on top, two books, and a stack of playing cards. The right side was completely empty, though there were shapes in the dust that indicated this was a recent occurrence. Ian set me carefully down on the right mattress, arranging my leg and straightening the pillow under my head. Jared stood in the doorway, facing the passageway. â€Å"That okay?† Ian asked me. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"You look tired.† â€Å"I shouldn't be-I've done nothing but sleep lately.† â€Å"Your body needs sleep to heal.† I nodded. I couldn't deny that it was hard to hold up my eyelids. â€Å"I'll bring you food later-don't worry about anything.† â€Å"Thank you. Ian?† â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"This is your room,† I mumbled. â€Å"You'll sleep here, of course.† â€Å"You don't mind?† â€Å"Why would I?† â€Å"It's probably a good idea-best way to keep an eye on you. Get some sleep.† â€Å"Okay.† My eyes were already closed. He patted my hand, and then I heard him get to his feet. A few seconds later, the wooden door clunked softly against stone. What do you think you're doing? Melanie demanded. What? What did I do now? Wanda, you're†¦ mostly human. You must realize what Ian will think of your invitation. Invitation? I could see the direction of her thoughts now. It's not like that. This is his room. There are two beds here. There aren't enough sleeping areas for me to have my own space. Of course we should share. Ian knows that. Does he? Wanda, open your eyes. He's starting to†¦ How do I explain it so that you'll understand right? To feel about you†¦ the way you feel about Jared. Can't you see that? I couldn't answer for two heartbeats. That's impossible, I finally said. â€Å"Do you think what happened this morning will influence Aaron or Brandt?† Ian asked in a low voice from the other side of the doors. â€Å"You mean Kyle getting a bye?† â€Å"Yeah. They didn't have to†¦ do anything before. Not when it looked so likely that Kyle would do it for them.† â€Å"I see your point. I'll speak to them.† â€Å"You think that will be enough?† Ian asked. â€Å"I've saved both their lives. They owe me. If I ask them for something, they'll do it.† â€Å"You'd bet her life on that?† There was a pause. â€Å"We'll keep an eye on her,† Jared finally said. Another long silence. â€Å"Aren't you going to go eat?† Jared asked. â€Å"I think I'll hang out here for a bit†¦ How about you?† Jared didn't answer. â€Å"What?† Ian asked. â€Å"Is there something you want to say to me, Jared?† â€Å"The girl in there†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jared said slowly. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"That body doesn't belong to her.† â€Å"Your point?† Jared's voice was hard when he answered. â€Å"Keep your hands off it.† A low chuckle from Ian. â€Å"Jealous, Howe?† â€Å"That's not really the issue.† â€Å"Really.† Ian was sarcastic now. â€Å"Wanda seems to be, more or less, cooperating with Melanie. It sounds like they're almost†¦ on friendly terms. But obviously Wanda's making the decisions. What if it were you? How would you feel if you were Melanie? What if you were the one†¦ invaded that way? What if you were trapped, and someone else was telling your body what to do? If you couldn't speak for yourself? Wouldn't you want your wishes-as much as they could be known-respected? At the very least by other humans?† â€Å"Okay, okay. Point taken. I'll keep that in mind.† â€Å"What do you mean, you'll keep that in mind?† Jared demanded. â€Å"I mean that I'll think about it.† â€Å"There's nothing to think about,† Jared retorted. I knew how he would look from the sound of his voice-teeth clenched, jaw strained. â€Å"The body and the person locked inside it belong to me.† â€Å"You're sure that Melanie still feels the -â€Å" â€Å"Melanie will always be mine. And I will always be hers.† Always. Melanie and I were suddenly at opposite ends of the spectrum. She was flying, elated. I was†¦ not. We waited anxiously through the next silence. â€Å"But what if it were you?† Ian asked in little more than a whisper. â€Å"What if you were stuffed in a human body and let loose on this planet, only to find yourself lost among your own kind? What if you were such a good†¦ person that you tried to save the life you'd taken, that you almost died trying to get her back to her family? What if you then found yourself surrounded by violent aliens who hated you and hurt you and tried to murder you, over and over again?† His voice faltered momentarily. â€Å"What if you just kept doing whatever you could to save and heal these people despite that? Wouldn't you deserve a life, too? Wouldn't you have earned that much?† Jared didn't answer. I felt my eyes getting moist. Did Ian really think so highly of me? Did he really think I'd earned the right to a life here? â€Å"Point taken?† Ian pressed. â€Å"I-I'll have to think about that one.† â€Å"Do that.† â€Å"But still -â€Å" Ian interrupted him with a sigh. â€Å"Don't get worked up. Wanda isn't exactly human, despite the body. She doesn't seem to respond to†¦ physical contact the same way a human would.† Now Jared laughed. â€Å"Is that your theory?† â€Å"What's funny?† â€Å"She is quite capable of responding to physical contact,† Jared informed him, his tone suddenly sober again. â€Å"She's human enough for that. Or her body is, anyway.† My face went hot. Ian was silent. â€Å"Jealous, O'Shea?† â€Å"Actually†¦ I am. Surprisingly so.† Ian's voice was strained. â€Å"How would you know that?† Now Jared hesitated. â€Å"It was†¦ sort of an experiment.† â€Å"An experiment?† â€Å"It didn't go the way I thought it would. Mel punched me.† I could hear that he was grinning at the memory, and I could see, in my head, the little lines fanning out around his eyes. â€Å"Melanie†¦ punched†¦ you?† â€Å"It sure wasn't Wanda. You should have seen her face†¦ What? Hey, Ian, easy, man!† â€Å"Did you think for one moment what that must have done to her?† Ian hissed. â€Å"Mel?† â€Å"No, you fool, Wanda!† â€Å"Done to Wanda?† Jared asked, sounding bewildered by the idea. â€Å"Oh, get out of here. Go eat something. Stay away from me for a few hours.† Ian didn't give him a chance to answer. He yanked the door out of his way-roughly but very quietly-and then slid into his room and put the door back in its place. He turned and met my gaze. From his expression, he was surprised to find me awake. Surprised and chagrined. The fire in his eyes blazed and then slowly dimmed. He pursed his lips. He cocked his head to one side, listening. I listened, too, but Jared's retreat made no sound. Ian waited for another moment, then sighed and plunked down on the edge of his mattress, across from me. â€Å"I guess we weren't as quiet as I thought,† he said. â€Å"Sound carries in these caves,† I whispered. He nodded. â€Å"So†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he finally said. â€Å"What do you think?†